Patents by Inventor R. Howard

R. Howard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9928218
    Abstract: Information is presented to a user by accessing a library of electronic publications that includes a first publication, generating a representation of the first publication in an electronic bookshelf, determining a state for the first publication and modifying the representation of the first publication to reflect the state of the first publication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, David Heller, Jeffrey Robbin, Alan C. Cannistraro, William Martin Bachman, Timothy B. Martin, Matt Evans, Joe R. Howard
  • Patent number: 9811507
    Abstract: Information is presented to a user by accessing a library of electronic publications that includes a first publication, generating a representation of the first publication in an electronic bookshelf, determining a state for the first publication and modifying the representation of the first publication to reflect the state of the first publication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill, David Heller, Jeffrey Robbin, Alan C. Cannistraro, William Martin Bachman, Timothy B. Martin, Matt Evans, Joe R. Howard
  • Publication number: 20170314584
    Abstract: A modular actuator assembly which can be used for partial stroke testing of a valve, the assembly having a force module and a tandem piston module. The force module has a primary piston and piston rod interconnected to a shaft which is movably mounted therein. The tandem piston module is connected to the force module and has a tandem piston and piston rod. An indicator plate is connected to the piston rod and is selectively positionable on the tandem piston rod. The tandem piston rod extends into the force module and acts as a pneumatically engaged hard stop for preventing spurious travel of the primary piston and hence spurious valve travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Edward G. Holtgraver, James R. Howard
  • Patent number: 9678734
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor upgrade availability for computer information on a user's computer and allows the user to determine which of the available upgrades will be downloaded to the user's computer and installed. The upgrade availability for computer information on the user's computer is monitored in the background, without user-intervention when the user connects to a network, such as the Internet. If any such upgrades are available, a flag is set to notify the user of such upgrades. The user is notified of any available upgrades when computer information is accessed for which an upgrade is available, and given a choice of whether or not to download the available upgrade(s). The downloaded upgrade(s) may then be installed by an installation means. In this manner, the present invention allows for the user to download only those upgrades desired by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Meyer, Albert R. Howard, Jr., Wayne Loofbourrow
  • Patent number: 9652125
    Abstract: An electronic device provides, to a display, data to present a user interface with a plurality of user interface objects that includes a first user interface object and a second user interface object. A current focus is on the first user interface object. The device receives an input that corresponds to a request to move the current focus; and, in response, provides, to the display, data to: move the first user interface object from a first position towards the second user interface object and/or tilt the first user interface object from a first orientation towards the second user interface object; and, after moving and/or tilting the first user interface object, move the current focus from the first user interface object to the second user interface object, and move the first user interface object back towards the first position and/or tilt the first user interface object back towards the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Henrique D. Penha, Graham R. Clarke, Gary I. Butcher, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Pavel Pivo{hacek over (n)}ka, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. C. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn, Elbert D. Chen
  • Patent number: 9639241
    Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors and memory is in communication with a display. The device, while in a first playback navigation mode, provides, to the display, video information for display; and receives an input that corresponds to a request by a user to switch to a second playback navigation mode. The video information includes information that corresponds to one or more frames of a video, a scrubber bar that represents a timeline of the video, a first playhead that indicates a current play position in the scrubber bar, and playback position markers, distinct from the first playhead, that indicate predetermined playback positions in the video. The device, in response to receiving the input, transitions from the first playback navigation mode to the second playback navigation mode; and, while in the second playback navigation mode, ceases to provide information that corresponds to the playback position markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Henrique D. Penha, Jonathan Ive, Imran A. Chaudhri, Grace H. Hwang, Graham R. Clarke, Gary I. Butcher, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. C. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn, Elbert D. Chen
  • Patent number: 9624449
    Abstract: Non-food plant biomass is subjected hot-water extraction in a pressurized vessel at an elevated temperature up to about 250° C. without addition of reagents, to yield an aqueous extract containing hemicellulosic components and a lignocellulosic residue. The process leaves the lignocellulose substantially intact, but with the hemicellulosic content largely removed. The separated aqueous extract or liquor is concentrated and purified, and long-chain sugars are reduced into monomer saccharides. The lignocellulosic residue may be further processed, to yield a useful fibrous material that is highly resistant to sorption of water. This material may be used for composite materials that resist water degradation, or may be used to produce a higher thermal-yield, water-resistant fuel, or may be used as bioconversion feedstock for producing high-value, lignocellulosic derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Biorefinery Sciences LLC.
    Inventors: Joel R Howard, Thomas E Amidon, Christopher D Wood
  • Publication number: 20170068410
    Abstract: An electronic device provides, to a display, data to present a user interface that includes: a plurality of user interface objects, and a current focus on a first user interface object. The device receives an input that corresponds to a gesture detected on a touch-sensitive surface of a user input device. The gesture includes a movement of a contact across the touch-sensitive surface followed by a lift-off of the contact from the touch-sensitive surface. The gesture includes a characteristic movement distance and a characteristic movement speed. In accordance with a determination that the gesture satisfies coasting criteria, the device moves the current focus in the user interface; and decelerates movement of the current focus across the series of user interface objects at a first deceleration rate that is based on: the characteristic movement distance of the gesture, and the characteristic movement speed of the gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Nicole M. Wells, Justin T. Voss, Blake R. Seely, Matthew D. Ricketson, Henrique D. Penha, Grace H. Hwang, Graham R. Clarke, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn
  • Patent number: 9535594
    Abstract: An electronic device provides, to a display, data to present a user interface with a plurality of user interface objects, and a current focus is on a first user interface object. The device receives an input corresponding to movement of a contact across a touch-sensitive surface. The movement includes first and second components each corresponding to first and second axes on the display. The device moves the current focus, along the first and second axes by amounts based on magnitudes of the first and second components. The amount of movement of the current focus along a non-dominant axis is reduced relative to the amount of movement of the current focus along a dominant axis by a scaling factor that is based on a rate of movement of the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Nicole M. Wells, Justin T. Voss, Blake R. Seely, Matthew D. Ricketson, Henrique D. Penha, Grace H. Hwang, Graham R. Clarke, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn, Wayne C. Westerman
  • Publication number: 20160370982
    Abstract: An electronic device with one or more processors and memory is in communication with a display. The device, while in a first playback navigation mode, provides, to the display, video information for display; and receives an input that corresponds to a request by a user to switch to a second playback navigation mode. The video information includes information that corresponds to one or more frames of a video, a scrubber bar that represents a timeline of the video, a first playhead that indicates a current play position in the scrubber bar, and playback position markers, distinct from the first playhead, that indicate predetermined playback positions in the video. The device, in response to receiving the input, transitions from the first playback navigation mode to the second playback navigation mode; and, while in the second playback navigation mode, ceases to provide information that corresponds to the playback position markers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Henrique D. Penha, Jonathan Ive, Imran A. Chaudhri, Grace H. Hwang, Graham R. Clarke, Gary I. Butcher, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L.C. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn, Elbert D. Chen
  • Publication number: 20160370957
    Abstract: An electronic device provides data to present a media information user interface for a media content item. The media information user interface includes: media source objects that correspond to respective media sources for the media content item, and media management objects for the media content item. A media source object, corresponding to a media source, is visually distinguished to indicate selection of the media source object. The media management objects include one or more media presentation option objects that correspond to the media content item and the media source. The device receives a user input; and, in response, in accordance with determining that the user input corresponds to a request to activate a media presentation option object, initiates provision of data to play the media content item using data received from the media source in accordance with a media presentation option that corresponds to the media presentation option object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Henrique D. Penha, Graham R. Clarke, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. C. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn, Elbert D. Chen, Brian A. Schmitt
  • Publication number: 20160370956
    Abstract: An electronic device provides, to a display, data to present a user interface with a plurality of user interface objects that includes a first user interface object and a second user interface object. A current focus is on the first user interface object. The device receives an input that corresponds to a request to move the current focus; and, in response, provides, to the display, data to: move the first user interface object from a first position towards the second user interface object and/or tilt the first user interface object from a first orientation towards the second user interface object; and, after moving and/or tilting the first user interface object, move the current focus from the first user interface object to the second user interface object, and move the first user interface object back towards the first position and/or tilt the first user interface object back towards the first orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Henrique D. Penha, Graham R. Clarke, Gary I. Butcher, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Pavel Pivonka, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. C. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn, Elbert D. Chen
  • Publication number: 20160370976
    Abstract: An electronic device provides, to a display, data to present a user interface with a plurality of user interface objects that includes a first user interface object. A current focus is on the first user interface object. The device, in response to determining that inactivity criteria are satisfied, provides data to visually distinguish the first user interface object in a first manner from the other user interface objects in the plurality of user interface objects; and, after providing the data to visually distinguish the first user interface object in the first manner: detects interaction by a user with the electronic device or with another device in communication with the electronic device; and, in response, provide, to the display, data to cease visually distinguishing the first user interface object in the first manner from the other user interface objects in the plurality of user interface objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Henrique D. Penha, Graham R. Clarke, Marcos Alonso Ruiz, Jeffrey L. Robbin, William M. Bachman, Benjamin W. Keighran, Jennifer L. C. Folse, Jonathan Lochhead, Joe R. Howard, Joshua K. McGlinn
  • Publication number: 20160364893
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to automatic generation of dynamically changing layouts for a graphical user-interface. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure employ analysis of an image associated with the view (e.g., either the current view or a future view) of the graphical user-interface to determine colors that are complementary to the image. The colors are applied to the view, such that the color scheme of the view matches the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Joe R. Howard, Brian R. Frick, Timothy B. Martin, Christopher John Sanders
  • Patent number: 9508158
    Abstract: Automatic generation of custom palettes based on an image selected by a user is disclosed. In various embodiments, automatic palette generation may involve generating one or more than one palette based on the color or shading content of the image provided by the user. The generated palette may include a variety of colors (or shadings) that can be automatically mapped to and applied to various distinct features within a composite graphic construct to be customized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Edward P. Hogan, Joe R. Howard, Marek R. Telgarsky, Matthew R. Lehrian
  • Patent number: 9397844
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to automatic generation of dynamically changing layouts for a graphical user-interface. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure employ analysis of an image associated with the view (e.g., either the current view or a future view) of the graphical user-interface to determine colors that are complementary to the image. The colors are applied to the view, such that the color scheme of the view matches the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Joe R. Howard, Brian R. Frick, Timothy B. Martin, Christopher John Sanders
  • Patent number: 9371669
    Abstract: Remote-activation locks designed to permit unlocking and/or locking of the lock without physical manipulation of the lock are articulated to a product/good in a manner so as to deny one or more benefits associated with the product/good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Inventors: John S. Berg, Christopher H. Reynolds, Jibing Lin, David A. Vogel, Paul A. Keenan, John R. Howard
  • Patent number: 9334438
    Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods for treating subterranean formations, in particular, oilfield stimulation compositions and methods using water-in-water polymer emulsions to uniformly dissolve a rheologically active polymer, such as a thickener or friction reducer, in the treatment fluid. The emulsions have a low viscosity and are easily pumped for mixing into a treatment fluid, where upon dilution with an aqueous medium, the polymer is easily hydrated without forming fish-eyes. The partitioning agent in the water-in-water emulsion does not generally affect the rheology of the treatment fluid. The invention also relates to further processing of the emulsion by wet grinding, high shear mixing and/or heating to enhance the hydration rate in the preparation of the well treatment fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Philip F. Sullivan, Gary John Tustin, Yenny Christanti, Gregory Kubala, Bruno Drochon, Yiyan Chen, Marie Noelle Dessinges, Paul R. Howard
  • Publication number: 20160011860
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor upgrade availability for computer information on a user's computer and allows the user to determine which of the available upgrades will be downloaded to the user's computer and installed. The upgrade availability for computer information on the user's computer is monitored in the background, without user-intervention when the user connects to a network, such as the Internet. If any such upgrades are available, a flag is set to notify the user of such upgrades. The user is notified of any available upgrades when computer information is accessed for which an upgrade is available, and given a choice of whether or not to download the available upgrade(s). The downloaded upgrade(s) may then be installed by an installation means. In this manner, the present invention allows for the user to download only those upgrades desired by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Meyer, Albert R. Howard, JR., Wayne Loofbourrow
  • Patent number: 9176723
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor upgrade availability for computer information on a user's computer and allows the user to determine which of the available upgrades will be downloaded to the user's computer and installed. The upgrade availability for computer information on the user's computer is monitored in the background, without user-intervention when the user connects to a network, such as the Internet. If any such upgrades are available, a flag is set to notify the user of such upgrades. The user is notified of any available upgrades when computer information is accessed for which an upgrade is available, and given a choice of whether or not to download the available upgrade(s). The downloaded upgrade(s) may then be installed by an installation means. In this manner, the present invention allows for the user to download only those upgrades desired by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Gordon R. Meyer, Albert R. Howard, Jr., Wayne Loofbourrow